Manoj Kumar, Patna. Per capita availability of water has decreased in Bihar. In the year 2011, per capita surface water availability was 1594 cubic meters. In the year 2023 it has reduced to 1055 cubic meters. Per capita water availability has reduced by 539 cubic meters in 12 years. It is expected that by the year 2050 it will reduce to 635 cubic meters.
Only 132175 MCM water available in Bihar
The total estimated requirement of water in Bihar by the year 2050 has been estimated at 145048 MCM. In this, the requirement of 104706 MCM for agricultural sector and 40342 MCM for non-agricultural work has been stated. Whereas in Bihar only 132175 MCM (million cubic meters) of water is available. At present, the storage capacity in the reservoirs is only 949.77 MCM. Concern has been expressed by highlighting these figures in the Fourth Agricultural Road Map. A plan has been made to overcome the water crisis by managing water by constructing and rehabilitating canals, pumps and reservoir irrigation schemes.
Water management will be done through 107 new and 1165 under construction schemes.
107 new schemes of barrage, barrage, canal and pump are proposed for water management. A total of Rs 1919617 lakh will be spent on this. At the same time, 1165 under construction schemes will also be completed and water management and water sources will be created from the agricultural road map. Rs 923692 lakh will be spent on this.
There will also be flood control and flood management
During water conservation, flood control and flood management works will also be done. According to the Fourth Agricultural Road Map, out of total 94.163 lakh hectares in Bihar, 68.80 lakh hectares of area is flood affected. From the year 2023 to 28, 550.42 km of embankments will be constructed from 11 schemes under construction. The construction of these embankments will provide protection from floods in 19.272 lakh hectare area. A total of Rs 230400 lakh will be spent on this. Embankments will be constructed in Bagmati and Mahananda flood management, Buxar-Koilwar embankment, Adhwara-Group-Jhim-Jamura. Gandak-Chhadi Ganga River Linking Scheme and Gandak-Daha-Ghaghra River Linking Scheme will be developed.
Garland trench will be built in three districts of Bihar
Garland trenches will be built in three districts for groundwater conservation and development of irrigation facilities in Bihar. For this, the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department and the Minor Water Resources Department have given permission for the repair of Ahar-Pin check dam. Also, the process of starting work on more than 50 projects is going on. The work of all these projects will be done under the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign.
Rain water will accumulate in Nawada and Jamui
The state Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department has approved Rs 2.12 crore in Gaya district, Rs 4.73 crore in Nawada district and Rs 4.75 crore in Jamui district for building Garland Trench. At the same time, about Rs 3.74 crore is likely to be spent on ground water conservation in Rohtas district, which has been approved. Garland Trench will be constructed at the foothills just below the plateaus, in which rain water will be collected. This will increase the groundwater level and the water will be used for irrigation and other purposes.
Repair of Ahar-Pin, check dam in 10 districts
About 300 ahar-pins, check dams, ponds and wells will be repaired in 10 districts of the state. Around Rs 200 crore is likely to be spent on this. These 10 districts include Patna, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Munger, Saran, Jehanabad, Siwan and Gopalganj.